Depay continues good run, Barca edge Getafe

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BARCELONA, Spain, Aug 29, (AP): Memphis Depay continued his good run with Barcelona, scoring the winner in a 2-1 victory over Getafe in the Spanish league on Sunday. It was Depay’s second league goal for Barcelona, which has won two of its first three matches in its first season without Lionel Messi in nearly two decades. Depay, Barcelona’s biggest offseason signing, had also scored in the team’s 1-1 draw at Athletic Bilbao last weekend. He found the net Sunday after a neat move in front of a defender inside the area, sending a low shot inside the near post in the 30th minute. Sergi Roberto had opened the scoring two minutes into the match at the Camp Nou Stadium after a cross by Jordi Alba. Getafe, which have lost three straight to start the league, equalized with a shot from Sandro Ramírez in the 18th. It was Getafe’s first league goal of the season.

Barcelona forward Martin Braithwaite, who scored twice in the opener against Sociedad, had a goal disallowed for offside near the end of the match. Depay nearly added his second from close range in the 85th, but sent the ball over the crossbar. More than 26,000 fans were allowed at the Camp Nou. The Catalan club have seven points, the same as rivasl Real Madrid. Sevilla, Valencia and Mallorca also have seven points. Amid reports in the Spanish capital that Kylian Mbappé could soon be on his way, Real Madrid won 1-0 at Real Betis. Right back Dani Carvajal volleyed in a pass from Karim Benzema in the 61st minute on a counterattack led by Vinícius Júnior, who again proved decisive to Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

The match was Madrid’s last before the summer transfer window closes Tuesday night. Paris Saint-Germain acknowledged this week that they had rejected an offer from Madrid to sign Mbappé. But the French club added that they were still open to negotiations over a blockbuster move for the player seen by many as soccer’s leading talent for years to come. “I think that (Ancelotti) has said it, anything that helps the squad is good, so I hope that we can strengthen the squad in the days that are left,” Carvajal said when asked about the possibility of Mbappé moving to Madrid. Madrid president Florentino Pérez was in the stands at Benito Villamarín Stadium, where it appeared that he was keeping a close eye on his phone. But club official Emilio Butragueño and Ancelotti were reticent to talk. While Ancelotti said that it “was an issue for the club” and only wanted to talk about his team’s victory, Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said he would love to be able to sign such a top player, knowing that it is impossible for a club that were unable to pay Lionel Messi’s wages. Vinícius was the focus of Madrid’s attack in the Brazilian’s first start of the season after he had come off the bench to score goals in a 4-1 win at Alavés and a 3-3 draw at Levante.

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